Remembering Dad!

The month of June is full of exciting dates but a really big one is Father’s Day. I wanted to do something special this year and tell you about my Dad and show how he shaped my life. As the only girl in our family and also the middle child I had a mixed bag of experiences. I was tough because I had to be but also babied in some ways due to being the “emotional” girl. My Dad taught me a ton of things growing up and I was lucky to get both experiences. I have been able to handle many different situations due to my upbringing.

I learned a several lessons that I will share with you today.

My Dad was not a business man but he is a man that knew how to work hard for what he wanted. He built homes… and I don’t mean he had a contractor do it. He did it and maintained a full-time job. We had a garden and an orchard and farm animals we raised and ate. We had chickens we had to feed and water for eggs. He was not afraid to work and do what was best for his family. His work ethic was something I never appreciated until I realized how much he taught me about work.

My Dad was very ambitious and became an elected Sheriff in our county 4 times. It took courage and perseverance to push through failures and disappointments. It took tenacity to change an outdated system and bring his department into the next century and create opportunities for his officer’s to receive training and education so they could become better as a team. He showed leadership in times of trouble and when times were good not taking full credit but spreading it over the whole department as a job well done.

My Dad became the CFO to the department and put together budgets and applied for grants that were relevant to the needs of his team. When there was money available for investing into new equipment he would invest and provide his deputies with the best. I don’t think my Dad ever wrote a check at home but he stepped up to the challenge when it was time to do his duty at work. He moved beyond his comfort zone and became an expert.

As you can see my Dad taught me a lot of life lessons that are required of a business person. He showed an excellent work ethic and learned how to do many things. He was ambitious and that took having courage and perseverance. He was a leader in the community. He also stepped out of his comfort zone and took on the challenges of being the financial expert.

I am grateful to my Dad for teaching me so much about being the person I am today. To all you Dad’s out there…. You make a huge difference in our lives!

Thank you Dad! I love you!